Steal These Porch Secrets

Out With the Old

When the Frist family moved in this redbrick Georgian-style house in Nashville, the back porch had seen better days. Mom Jennifer's wish list included a space for dinner parties and plenty of seating. With the help of designer Mark Simmons, they screened the covered area, installed a bluestone floor, and outfitted it with a collected mix of furniture.

Comfortable, oversized chairs meant less seating, but didn't block the French doors that connect the porch to the house. "That's important when you have kids going in and out all day."